John L. Helm

John LaRue Helm ( born July 4, 1802 in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Kentucky; † September 8, 1867 ) was an American politician and the 18th Governor of the state of Kentucky.

Early years and political rise

The young John helmet was at first privately and then educated in the public schools of his home. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1823. In 1824 he was district attorney of Meade County. Between 1826 and 1843 he was with some interruptions deputy in the House of Representatives from Kentucky. Several times he was at this time also President ( Speaker) of the House. A candidacy for Congress failed in 1838. Between 1844 and 1848 he sat in the Senate of Kentucky, then he was finally as a candidate of the ( Whig Party ) was elected lieutenant governor under John J. Crittenden.

First term as governor

On July 31, 1850 Governor Crittenden resigned his office to become U.S. Attorney General in the Cabinet Fillmore. This helmet fell to the governorship. He had to finish the remainder of the term until 2 September 1851. As Governor, he spoke in favor of electoral reform. At the same time he was a financing of education from tax critically. With the result of the constitutional reform of 1850, he was dissatisfied and voted against it, but reform could not stop.

Further CV

After leaving office, he was from 1854 to 1860 president of the railway company Louisville and Nashville Railroad. During the Civil War he initially supported the neutrality of Kentucky. When that was not possible, he sympathized with the Confederacy and became a harsh critic of President Abraham Lincoln. Therefore, it was classified by the Union as a rebel and temporarily detained. After an oath of allegiance to the Union, he was set free again.

From 1865 to 1867 he was again a member of the Senate from Kentucky. After the dissolution of the Whig Party to helmet turned to the Democrats, the 1866 again lined up him as its candidate for the gubernatorial election. He won the election with 65.7 % of the vote against Sidney Barnes ( 24.7 %) and was sworn in on September 3, 1867, but already died on September 8, so its Vice- Governor John W. Stevenson took office. John Helm was married to Lucinda Barbour Hardin, with whom he had eleven children.